Encino, CA (March 7, 2018) – The Academy of Country Music® announced the first group of performers for the 53RD ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS™. ACM® Award nominees Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, and Thomas Rhett will take the stage for must-see performances. Bebe Rexha will make her debut appearance at Country Music’s Party of the Year®, performing the chart-topping collaboration “Meant to Be” with Florida Georgia Line. The 53rd ACM Awards® will broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 15, 2018 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.

As previously announced, multimedia superstar Reba McEntire will return to host the 53rd ACM Awards, which honors and showcases the biggest names and emerging talent in country music, and is produced for television by dick clark productions. This year’s show will mark Reba’s fifteenth time hosting the ceremony. She last co-hosted the ceremony with Blake Shelton in 2012.

Additional acts and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks. For event updates, tickets and hotel information, please visit www.ACMcountry.com.

About the Academy of Country Music Awards

The 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards™ is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the country music industry. The show is produced for television by dick clark productions and will broadcast LIVE from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 15, 2018 at 8:00 PM live ET/PT on the CBS Television Network. Allen Shapiro, Mike Mahan, R.A. Clark, Barry Adelman and Mark Bracco are executive producers. Pete Fisher is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music.